The present invention relates generally to a coffee machine. More particularly, the invention relates to an espresso coffee machine that includes a pad receiving holder for receiving a disposable coffee pad containing a predetermined amount of finely ground coffee beans from which espresso or cappuccino coffee is prepared.
Espresso is coffee prepared from finely ground coffee beans, through which steam and hot water, under high pressure, is forced. A conventional espresso coffee machine includes a boiler in which a given quantity of water inside the boiler is forced through finely ground coffee beans as a result of over pressure formed inside the boiler when a heating source, connected to the boiler, is activated.
A conventional espresso coffee machine includes a detachable holder for containing finely ground coffee beans from which espresso or cappuccino coffee is prepared. Specifically, the detachable holder includes a handle attached to a cupped member having at its lower end a spout for the discharge of espresso coffee. Finely ground coffee beans are contained in a sieve or filter which is placed in the cupped shaped member of the detachable holder. The detachable holder, along its upper edge of the cupped shaped member, is typically detachably secured by suitable connecting means to a support in or on the housing for receiving steam or hot water from the conventional espresso coffee machine.
Suitable connecting means typically include a bayonet lock connection in which the upper edge of the cupped shaped member includes wedge like cams which are receivable in complementary cam slots in or on the housing. The detachable holder requires a user to position the detachable holder in or on the housing and rotate the handle clockwise or counterclockwise to secure the detachable holder in place and reversely rotate the handle to separate the holder from the housing. Conventional espresso coffee machines, which include a detachable holder for containing finely ground coffee beans from which espresso or cappuccino coffee is prepared, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,856 granted to Borgmann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,024 granted to Cortese, U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,466 granted to Fries, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,730 granted to Gockelmann, et al.
A conventional espresso coffee machine, that includes a detachable holder for receiving a sieve or filter for containing finely ground coffee beans, exhibits several drawbacks in preparing espresso or cappuccino coffee.
First, a conventional espresso coffee machine having a detachable holder requires a user to exercise care in measuring out the required amount of finely ground coffee beans to be placed in a filter or sieve of the detachable holder.
Second, a conventional espresso coffee machine having a detachable holder requires a user to exercise care in properly aligning the cams on the detachable holder in the cam slots in or on the housing and rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise to secure.
Third, a conventional espresso coffee machine having a detachable holder requires a user, after preparing espresso coffee, to remove the used grounds from the detachable holder. This procedure often requires the user to scrape out the used grounds from the filter or sieve. To properly clean the filter or sieve also requires that it be washed under running water to clean and unclog the extremely fine holes which retain the finely ground coffee beans in the filter or sieve.
Fourth, a conventional espresso coffee machine having a detachable holder requires a user to exercise caution in handling the detachable holder after preparing espresso coffee due to the detachable holder becoming extremely hot from the steam and hot water flowing through the detachable holder to prepare espresso coffee.
Fifth, often a user will not remove a detachable holder from its supports on the housing immediately after use and particularly not after preparing the last cup of espresso coffee, thereby increasing the effort in later cleaning the holder, sieve or filter, and espresso coffee machine.
Thus, there is a need for an espresso coffee machine that eliminates the above described drawbacks in time and effort expended by a user in preparing espresso or cappuccino coffee. More particularly there is a need for an espresso coffee machine that enables a user to consistently prepare a superior tasting cup of espresso or cappuccino coffee in which the espresso coffee machine includes a pad receiving holder for receiving disposable coffee pad containing a predetermined amount of finely ground coffee beans from which espresso coffee is prepared.